The new Northern Ireland Secretary of State is a former tax advisor with a degree in Maths from Imperial College London.

Karen Bradley , 47, was elected Conservative MP for Staffordshire Moorlands in May 2010.

She has consistently voted for allowing same sex marriage and equal gay rights in the Commons, but was against against strengthening the Military Covenant and euthanasia, according to They Work for You.

She also supports Brexit and has towed her party's line on welfare and benefits.

Born in the Moorlands, she spent her early years in Chadderton in the North of England before her parents took over the Queens Head Hotel in Buxton.

Karen was educated at her local comprehensive - Buxton Girls School - before going to Imperial College London, which she graduated with a BSc in Mathematics.

She comes to the Northern Ireland role after being appointed Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in July 2016.

She is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Adviser who worked in public practice from 1991 to 2004, first for Deloitte & Touche and then KPMG.

In 2004, she became a self-employed fiscal and economic consultant. Karen rejoined KPMG in 2007, where she remained until shortly before her election to the House of Commons.

Karen ran in her first General Election in 2005, when she came third for the Manchester Withington seat. She was then selected for Staffordshire Moorlands in July 2006 and returned to Parliament at the General Election in 2010.

Karen served as a member of the Select Committee on Work and Pensions, the Procedure Committee and the Administration Committee before being appointed as a government minister.

She also served in the Government Whips' Office from September 2012 until February 2014 and served as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Home Office from February 2014 until July 2016.

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Karen lives in Leek with her husband and two children, where she is said to enjoy walks in the Peak District or experimenting with new recipes.

In a statement issued just a few hours after taking the post the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland said her top priority is to restore powersharing.

Mrs Bradley said it is “a great honour” to have been appointed to the “hugely important and exciting role”.

And in a tribute to her predecessor James Brokenshire commended him on an outstanding job and wished him a speedy recovery.

“Northern Ireland is a very special part of our United Kingdom and has huge potential,” she said in a statement just hours after taking the job.

“A key part of my role will be to help build a Northern Ireland that is fit for the future and works for everyone.”

To do that she said she will work closely with all parties, all sections of the community and the Irish government as appropriate.

“Be assured the UK Government remains fully committed to the Belfast Agreement, its principles and institutions,” she added.

“Clearly, there are immediate challenges.

“It is now a year since Northern Ireland has had an effective, functioning power-sharing administration, and forming a Northern Ireland Executive, to deliver for the benefit of all, is my top priority.

“I believe a devolved government in Belfast is best placed to address these issues and take the key decisions which affect people’s day to day lives - whether these relate to the economy, public services or issues of policing and justice.

“We must also continue the work to deliver a Brexit that recognises Northern Ireland’s unique circumstances and avoids a hard border on the island of Ireland while maintaining the economic and constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom.

“Alongside these issues, I am conscious of the need to establish a stronger economy and a shared society, to address the legacy of the past and to keep people safe and secure.

“In the coming days, I look forward to meeting many different people, parties and other groups as I take on this hugely important and exciting role in the Prime Minister’s Government.”